Here are all the LV= Insurance County Championship 2023 Round 15 Day 3 - Live Cricket Streaming, Scores, Match Reports, Stats and Reactions.

Division One

Top Tournament Stats: LV= County Championship 2023 Division 1

Most Runs

Most Wickets

Fixtures

Points Table

Division One

Surrey vs Northamptonshire

Bottom of the table Northamptonshire reduced first division leaders Surrey to 79 for six before Ben Foakes and Jamie Overton led a fightback on another rain-affected day at the Kia Oval.

With title rivals Essex cutting into Surrey’s 18-point lead by taking two more bonus points against Hampshire, Surrey needed a spirited response from Foakes and Overton, who made an unbeaten fifty, which took them to 158 for six when bad light and rain ended play early. They still trail by 199 but with only a day to go a draw still looks the likely outcome.

After two rain-shortened days, Northamptonshire began day three by resuming their first innings on 351 for nine and adding just six more runs before Karun Nair, on 144 not out overnight, was caught and bowled by Tom Lawes as he tried to fashion an unorthodox deflection at a short ball but succeeded only in lobbing it back to the bowler.

Former India Test batsman Nair, who had previously cut Lawes for his 23rd and final four, had faced 246 balls for his epic 150 – a superb innings which also included two sixes. The 20-year-old Lawes finished with five for 105, the second five-wicket haul of his highly-promising early career. Nair was also his 50th first-class victim while Northamptonshire’s 357 was only their third 350-plus total of the season.

Four slips were immediately in place when Surrey, at last, started their own first innings and both Rory Burns and Dom Sibley were initially more interested in survival against the new ball than scoring runs. Ben Sanderson and Jack White bowled with menace and control in still helpful conditions, despite the appearance of blue skies for much of the morning session, and it was no surprise when wickets began to fall.

Tom Taylor had by then replaced the metronomic Sanderson at the Pavilion End and, with the last ball of his second over, the paceman straightened one from around the wicket to have left-hander Burns caught at second slip for 11.

Sibley produced one authoritative on-driven four off Taylor before edging him just short of first slip and Surrey were 43 for two when Ryan Patel, on five, tamely chipped Luke Procter’s whippy medium-pace to short extra cover.

Sai Sudharsan, the 21-year-old India A left-hander drafted in by Surrey for the Championship run-in, had made only three when, trying to let a short ball from Procter go through to the keeper, was adjudged caught behind off the glove even though it looked to have deflected off his lower arm.

On 56 for three at lunch, Surrey were aiming to stabilise the innings in the afternoon session but, instead, continued to lose wickets to Northamptonshire’s seamers as White won an lbw appeal against Sibley on 32 and in his next over bowled Cameron Steel off stump for a duck as he played down the wrong line to a ball angled in to him.

Jordan Clark hooked Sanderson for six, having survived a close call for lbw to the first ball he faced from White, but on nine he touched a fine delivery from Sanderson through to keeper Lewis McManus.

Surrey were tottering on 91 for six when rain drove the players off for nearly two hours in mid-afternoon.

But when they resumed in bright sunshine Foakes and Overton put on 78 in 17 overs in contrasting styles with Overton counter-attacking impressively with eight fours in his 52-ball half-century. Foakes accumulated more patiently with 33 in just over two hours, before bad light drove the players off at 5.15pm and heavy rain followed to end play.

Somerset vs Kent

Somerset’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore celebrated his England call-up with a savage assault on Kent’s injury-hit bowling attack on the third day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Taunton.

Summoned to take part in the one-day international series against Ireland at the conclusion of the game, the uncapped 29-year-old smashed 8 sixes in scoring 68 from just 31 balls as the home side extended their first innings total to 404 for four before rain washed out the last two sessions.

Lewis Goldsworthy marked his first Championship appearance of the season with 122, his second first class century, and Andy Umeed contributed 49 to a Somerset run blitz that saw them add 190 to their overnight 214 for two in an extended morning comprising 32.4 overs.

But it was Kohler-Cadmore’s onslaught that did most to shatter the morale of a Kent side battling relegation and without Michael Hogan, who was added to their lengthy injury list on the opening day. Coming in at 310 for three, the former Yorkshire player hit his second ball for six and went on to reach fifty off 27 deliveries.

After a second day washout, play began in more sedate fashion with Goldsworthy looking to build on his overnight score of 70 after a frustrating season in which his only previous first team cricket had come in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Having left out their specialist spinners and seen Hogan limp off after bowling only 11.2 overs in the innings, Kent again proved powerless to capitalise on a green pitch.

There was an extraordinary incident with the total on 245 for two and Goldsworthy on 79. He jammed down on a yorker from Jaskaran Singh and saw part of the toe of his bat fly off and dislodge a bail before dismay over a bizarre dismissal turned to relief at the umpire’s call of no-ball.

Umeed, like his partner looking to lay down a marker for next season, blossomed from a watchful start, hitting 2 fours in an over from Daniel Bell-Drummond, before a leg-glanced boundary off the same bowler took Goldsworthy to his hundred off 177 balls, with 12 fours.

After so much second XI cricket this summer, it was a reminder of the form that had previously made the 22-year-old Cornishman a first team regular across all formats of the game at a tender age.

Umeed cleared the ropes over wide long-on off Jack Leaning and was one short of a half-century when the Kent skipper took revenge with his off-breaks, wicketkeeper Harry Finch accepting a thin edge.

Kohler-Cadmore made his intentions clear from the start, lofting Leaning over long-off. He cleared the ropes seven more times, including twice in a Joe Denly over and three times in one from Arafat Bhuiyan, losing the second new ball by blasting it into and beyond a car park.

Kent had delayed taking it, but were forced to do so when two extra overs of spin from Leaning and Denly saw Somerset add 29 runs. The second over with new cherry saw Kohler-Cadmore hit 6,4,6,6 off successive Arafat deliveries and, together with four byes and a leg-bye, cost 27.

The second of those sixes, launched into the top tier of the Ondaatje Pavilion at the Cooper Associate County Ground, took Kohler-Cadmore to a memorable half-century, which pressed his case to be more than a spectator when joining the England squad this weekend.

Goldsworthy had been wisely content to play a supporting role and an attempt at a bigger shot proved his downfall, caught at cover by Leaning off Singh, having faced 203 balls and batted for four and a half hours without giving a chance.

Kent were then presented with the sight of James Rew, the highest scorer in the Championship First Division this season, walking to the crease. He had added three runs to his tally, taking it to 1,080, by the time lunch was taken at 12.40pm

During the interval rain began falling and became heavier. It continued for much of the afternoon and umpires Tom Lungley and Martin Saggers abandoned play for the day at 4.50pm, with Kent having secured just one bonus point in their desperate battle for First Division survival.

Essex vs Hampshire

Tom Prest brilliantly scored his maiden LV= Insurance County Championship century to frustrate title hopefuls Essex – despite Simon Harmer’s 35th first-class five-wicket haul for the county.

Former England under 19 skipper Prest masterfully scored an unbeaten 102 to guide Hampshire past the follow-on score with vital contributions from Toby Albert, Fletcha Middleton, James Vince and Keith Barker.

South African Harmer claimed five for 143 as he churned away from the River End for 36 overs but Hampshire ended the day on 322 for eight - and 125 runs adrift - with a potential to set up a result on the final day.

Albert and Middleton had seen out seven overs the previous evening and combined on the third morning with a mix of patience and skill to clear the new ball with little problems.

Middleton survived a missed stumping, the first of a few missteps from Essex, on 17 as the 21-year-old openers put on 68.

But the arrival of Paul Walter’s tall left-arm pace to the attack immediately saw the back of Albert, when he pinned him lbw with an in-swinging yorker.

Nick Gubbins pushed to second slip to give Harmer his first before the off-spinner bowled a slog sweeping Middleton for 47.

Vince had arrived with intent to counter and smashed 46 in 45 balls – capped by hitting Matt Critchley back over his head for six.

He and fellow experienced middle-order batter Liam Dawson fell in consecutive overs playing aggressive shots – Vince skying a top edge to long off, while Dawson slogged a sweep from well outside off stump to square leg.

Essex’s title hopes looked bright with Hampshire 141 for five and in a prime follow-on position, and Surrey collapsing at the Kia Oval against Northamptonshire.

But Prest flipped the script by partnering up with the lower-middle order to defy Harmer and bat Hampshire towards a position of strength.

Prest has long been talked about in the same breath as Vince, with his powerful shot-making and wonderful ability to find boundaries.

His red ball form, in his first six outings, had been disappointing, especially compared to his sparkling white-ball record – which included two List A centuries and four Vitality Blast fifties.

Here, he scored 36 of his 69-ball half-century in boundaries with plenty of resilience shown in a dodgy situation for his team.

Prest put on 54 with the uneasy Brown – who survived a simple catch at square leg when on one before he was caught off the bat-pad for Harmer’s fourth.

Prest was dropped by Harmer at second slip the ball after bringing up his first Championship fifty but was otherwise chanceless, amid turn and invariable bounce from Harmer.

Barker, who was so close to winning this fixture last season, utilised his well-honed reverse sweep and dipped into his experience to join forces with his young seventh wicket partner – the pair putting on 89 together.

Barker fell trying to pull Sam Cook before Felix Organ gave Harmer his fifth with a misjudged slog sweep.

Kyle Abbott now stewarded Prest to make sure Hampshire averted the follow-on – which he managed with a pair of sixes in the 77th over. Prest then reached three figures in 119 balls after the second new ball had been taken.

Bad light took the players off just before 16:30 before rain kyboshed any hope of any more play – as those who stayed in the ground were taunted with Surrey’s improving situation being played on the scoreboard.

Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire

Lancashire made 225 for six on a rain-shortened third day of this LV= Insurance County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Emirates Old Trafford with this game steadily heading towards a draw having already lost two days to the weather.

Steven Croft top-scored for the hosts with 45 while twenty-year-old Matty Hurst made an assured unbeaten 35 on debut after openers Keaton Jennings and Luke Wells had posted 84 for the first wicket. 

Stephen Mullaney and Asitha Fernando both claimed two wickets apiece for the visitors, who had opted to bowl first, as they hit back mid-morning with a three-wicket burst in an even contest.

Jennings and Wells produced a positive response, after skipper Mullaney won the toss, with an excellent and sometimes attacking partnership during the opening 20 overs as the Nottinghamshire bowlers initially appeared to struggle on a slow pitch.

The Lancashire openers took advantage of any full deliveries with Jennings in particular striking early boundaries that swiftly took the Red Rose captain past the 10,000 first-class runs landmark.

The fifty partnership arrived from 84 balls with Mullaney rotating his attack in the hunt for a breakthrough and that arrived from the first ball of the 21^st over when Wells, having driven nicely thus far, missed a full-pitched ball from Fernando to be bowled for 28.

That was the first of three wickets to fall for seven runs in three overs as Mullaney (2 for 32) then had Jennings lbw for 42, playing forward defensively but adjudged to have got pad to the ball fractionally before bat, and Josh Bohannon well taken at the second attempt by wicketkeeper Tom Moores standing up for 6.

George Bell hit five boundaries in a bright and breezy 26 either side of lunch before inside edging another full delivery from Fernando (2 for 31) onto his middle stump. George Balderson followed one run later after edging behind off Brett Hutton to leave the hosts 133 for five, and it took a partnership of 48 runs between veteran all-rounder Croft and debutant Hurst to steady the Lancashire innings.

Croft, playing his first four-day game since July, hit eight boundaries in his 45 before departing to a great catch by Matt Montgomery at bad/pad off Calvin Harrison. That was reward for the leg spinner who had Hurst dropped on 8 at short midwicket in his first over.

Once settled, Hurst mixed some trademark attacking shots, that included lofting Harrison for four over midwicket, with solid defence in a determined 80-ball innings.

Tom Bailey (19 not out) thumped the only six of the day off Harrison but two balls later rain arrived to take the players off the pitch with 35 overs left and an hour later the umpires abandoned play for the day at 5pm.

 

Middlesex vs Warwickshire

Middlesex 3pts trail Warwickshire 5pts by 98 runs with 9 second innings wickets standing. 

Sam Robson passed 50 for the fourth time this season to keep alive relegation-haunted Middlesex’s hopes of a draw on a truncated day three of their clash with Warwickshire at Lord’s.

The former England opener mixed watchful defence with excellent driving to make 51 not out in a stay of a little over two hours as the hosts reached 96-1 in their second innings, still 98 short of making Warwickshire bat again. Robson shared an opening stand of 78 with Mark Stoneman, the highest between the pair this season and their first of 50 or more since May 13^th.

Earlier, Will Rhodes, 102, completed his ninth first-class hundred and his third at Lord’s, but Danny Briggs fell one short of a second ever century, their efforts taking Warwickshire to a first innings total of 315.

Tim Murtagh, in his final game at Lord’s narrowly missed a career-best, finishing with 6-83. The former Ireland seamer was honoured at lunchtime with a montage of photos, depicting his cricket story at a special presentation made in front of the pavilion steps by former teammates Steven Finn and Ben Scott and the county’s ex director of cricket Angus Fraser.

Rhodes, 95 not out overnight, soon reached his century, sending a rare loose ball from Murtagh to the square leg boundary for his 13^th four of his innings. He couldn’t though push on, departing soon afterwards, slashing Ethan Bamber’s first ball of the day into the hands of gully, ending a stand of 143 with Briggs.

If the hosts hoped his departure would allow them to mop up the tail, they were disappointed as Craig Miles came in to lend staunch support to Briggs who on-drove Josh De Caires for four to reach 84.

A few balls later came the day’s controversy, as an attempted sweep by Briggs came off the inside edge, flicked off the front of his back pad which was parallel to the ground and deflected into the gloves of a diving John Simpson. Home celebrations though were cut short when umpire Graham Lloyd didn’t raise his finger.

Such a stroke of luck pointed to Briggs reaching only the second century of his career and his first for six years. However, after Murtagh scattered Miles’ stumps to claim his sixth wicket, Briggs got twitchy on 99, sending an attempted pull skywards, Simpson running forward to complete a simple catch. Even so, Warwickshire ended with a first innings lead of 194.

Stoneman survived a huge shout for lbw as he and Robson negotiated the four overs before lunch and after the resumption, the duo played with greater assurance.

Robson especially looked in good touch, driving successive fours off Oliver Hannon-Dalby as the 50-stand was raised before a storm stopped play for two hours with 24 overs lost.

When play resumed, Stoneman cracked three fours from one Hannon-Dalby over, while Robson twice drove Ed Barnard deliveries to the mid-on fence in the next.

Rhodes’ response was to throw the ball to Miles in search of a breakthrough and the seamer obliged, his very first ball finding the inside edge of Stoneman’s bat to give wicketkeeper Michael Burgess a simple catch.

Robson however, cut one from Chris Rushworth to the fence at point to raise his half-century before a second cloudburst ended play for the day.

 

Middlesex seamer Tom Helm who took 2-51 said: “Quite clearly, we are still behind in the game. It’s tough, I don’t know if we would have taken this position at the start of the day if you’d offered it to us as we would have liked to have knocked them over for a few less than we did.

“But being 96-1 as we are now, we put up a good show of fight this evening. We’ve got a bit lucky with the weather, but we’ll take a bit of rain in this game, I think.

“The wicket is noticeably better to bat on when the ball is a little bit older, and those boys saw off the new ball really well and Sam got his rewards at the end.

“I was pleased in patches with how I bowled. It’s not my best, but I don’t feel like I’m miles away from where I want to be.

“It’s been a nice week with Murts, and to watch him get six-for as well helped and made it even more special for him. He is putting on a brave face, I think. There have been times when you can see him welling up. It’s a special week but a sad week for us. He deserves all the accolades, but it is going to be a sad moment when this game finishes.”

 

 

Warwickshire seamer Craig Miles who made 29 with the bat and got a wicket with his first ball said: “ They batted nicely tonight with the partnership between Robson and Stoneman, but set for an intriguing day tomorrow. “Hopefully the bad weather stays away and there’s a full day’s cricket – who knows what can happen.

“I think batting conditions have got easier, but we saw tonight when the clouds came over just before it started raining, there’s a little bit more in the wicket when that happens.

“Briggsy and Will Rhodes’ partnership gave us a stronghold in the game and even when I was out there batting with Briggsy it felt the wicket had lost that consistency of movement. It still offered a little bit, especially with the new ball, but it has got more batting friendly as the game has gone on.

“I haven’t played too much four-day cricket for Warwickshire this year, so to come in and try and contribute is good. In a way I’m probably a bit fresher than Ollie (Hannon-Daly) and Rushy (Chris Rushworth) who have been doing it all year. So to give what I can energy-wise, run in hard and contribute at the bottom end, it’s nice to be able to do that.

“I’ve been a bit short of game time, but these last few games are an opportunity for me to try and put my hat in the ring for next April.”

 

Division Two

Top Tournament Stats: LV= County Championship 2023 Division 2

Most Runs

Most Wickets

Fixtures

Points Table

Division Two

Derbyshire vs Sussex

Brooke Guest had a day to remember as Derbyshire ran through Sussex in the LV=Insurance Division Two County Championship match at Derby.

After the first two days were washed out by rain, Guest marked his 100th appearance for the county as a wicketkeeper by taking seven catches to equal the record number of dismissals in an innings for Derbyshire 

Sam Conners and Zak Chappell both took four wickets to skittle Sussex for 100 and in reply, Derbyshire closed on 94 for 1 with Luis Reece unbeaten on 50.

Only three players made double figures in a flimsy Sussex batting display after Derbyshire took full advantage of winning the toss.

After several days under the covers, the pitch offered some assistance although it was an undistinguished performance  by Sussex whose promotion hopes were slim at best even before this collapse.

The tone was set in the fifth over by Ali Orr who aimed a big drive at Zak Chappell without moving his feet and gave Guest his first victim.

Tom Alsop, leading the side in place of the suspended Cheteshwar Pujara, was also guilty of a loose drive at Conners three overs later and when James Coles threw his bat at a wide ball from Anuj Dal, Sussex were 40 for 3.

Tom Clark pulled a short ball from Pat Brown for six but when Dal found some late movement to have him caught behind, the innings went into freefall.

Dan Ibrahim was drawn into playing at a ball that left him to give Guest his fifth catch, the first time a Derbyshire wicketkeeper had achieved the feat before lunch since Bernie Maher on Royal Wedding Day in July 1981.

Oli Carter was cleaned up playing back to a full length ball from Conners and after Chappell struck twice in successive overs, Sussex went into lunch on 77 for 8.

Only three overs were bowled after the interval before heavy rain delayed the game until 4.30pm but the second ball after the restart, Wayne Madsen damaged a finger trying to take a catch at second slip and left the field in obvious distress.

Former Derbyshire all-rounder Fynn Hudson-Prentice took Sussex to three figures before Jaydev Unadkat pulled Conners to mid-wicket.and the innings ended in the next over 

Hudson-Prentice skied a pull at Chappell to give Guest his seventh catch which equalled the record set by former England great Bob Taylor in 1966 who then matched it in 1975 before Harvey Hosein achieved the feat in 2014.

It was the first time this season a wicketkeeper has completed seven dismissals in an innings in first-class cricket and his assured glovework consigned Sussex to the lowest total by a visiting team at Derby for 25 years.

The Sussex bowlers failed to match the consistent lines of Derbyshire’s attack which allowed Reece and Harry Came to add 65 in 18 overs before Came miscued a pull at Sean Hunt to mid-wicket.

That brought Guest back out to the middle and at stumps he had helped Reece take Derbyshire to within six runs of Sussex’s meagre total.

 

Derbyshire fast bowler Zak Chappell said: "It was a very, very good toss to win and nice to see the pitch with a bit of colour in it and, more importantly, we put the ball in a decent area for long enough and got our rewards.

"The good thing is I think we can still bowl better on it, it was a pretty complete performance but we can still do better.

"I'm hoping they turn up tomorrow with the mindset of they think this game's dead which I think is a dangerous place to be. If we score at five an over and get a lead of 120 and have 35 overs at them you just don't know but that's a long way away at the moment.

"The priority will be to bat well in the morning and see where we are at lunch and then put the foot down a bit and see where we get to."

 

On Brooke Guest's seven catches he said: "I'm happy for him, he's done well, he's taken the opportunities he got so good on him."

Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said: "Appalling is the simple word really. We batted poorly, lacked fight, desire. It's not a 100 all out pitch, but there's only so many things you can keep saying.

"I'm getting fed up with performances like that, it's not good enough .The top five gave their wickets away, yes it was a good toss to win but we haven't shown enough fight.

"People have missed out on this selection so it creates an opportunity and no one has taken the opportunity which is incredibly frustrating. You want people to show fight, desire and sell their wicket dearly and we're just not doing that.

"It;s frustrating, it's annoying and it's a very quiet dressing room tonight. We got what we deserved today."

Leicestershire vs Yorkshire

Harry Swindells, the unlikely hero as Leicestershire picked up their first silverware in 12 years last weekend, kept alive their hopes of a return to Division One in the LV= Insurance County Championship for the first time in 20 years on day three against Yorkshire at Grace Road.

Fresh from his match-winning 117 not out in Saturday’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final - his first List A game of the season - Swindells top-scored with 73 in his first appearance of the year in the Foxes’ red-ball team to secure a potentially valuable lead in this rain-affected match, albeit one that Yorkshire have chalked off for the loss of one wicket.

Swindells shared a 10th-wicket partnership of 93 with Will Davis, who added a career-best unbeaten 44 to his four for 28 with the ball, as Leicestershire recovered from 140 for nine to be bowled out for 233 in reply to Yorkshire’s 155.  They had earlier been teetering at 97 for six as Yorkshire seamer George Hill took four for 69.

Openers Adam Lyth (51 not out) and Finlay Bean (43) continued their prolific form with their fourth 100-plus partnership of the season as Yorkshire closed 35 runs in front on 113 for one, Bean having been bowled by Tom Scriven offering no shot.  Rain and bad light cost a further 25 overs on the day.

Leicestershire have two matches in which to overturn a deficit of 21 points behind second-placed Worcestershire if they are to join already-promoted Durham in Division One next season. A win in this match would be worth 19 points.

Frustrated by bad light on the first evening and a complete washout on day two, it took Leicestershire only three deliveries on the third morning to snare the last Yorkshire wicket, Ben Cox taking a smart one-handed catch as Tom Scriven dismissed Jordan Thompson to finish with three for 27.

Yet until Swindells and Davis came together, Leicestershire looked to have wasted an opportunity to put themselves in a dominant position.

On a pitch that looked no picnic to bat on, at least in the early part of the day, the home side suffered a setback two balls into their reply when Rishi Patel was given out leg before to Ben Coad despite getting forward a couple of good paces, but skipper Lewis Hill seemed determined that Coad and new-ball partner Thompson would not be calling the shots.

Hill rattled off eight boundaries in the next nine overs as he and Sam Evans added 57 for the second wicket. But after his namesake George replaced Coad in the first change, Yorkshire seized the initiative.

The former England Under-19 seamer’s first over conceded three of those eight boundaries, albeit one off a streaky inside edge, but he had the right-hander caught behind pushing at one in the next over and his dismissal prompted a Leicestershire collapse.

From 58 for one, they were 97 for six by lunch. Sam Evans and Umar Amin were leg before to Hill, the latter more convincingly than the former, before Finlay Bean caught Louis Kimber at third slip via second slip Lyth’s chest as 20-year-old Ben Cliff struck with the fourth ball of his second first-class match. In the last over of the session, Ben Cox became the fourth batter to see umpire Neil Pratt’s finger raised as Hill claimed his fourth wicket.

Scriven, on two, was dropped twice off consecutive Coad deliveries soon after lunch, both put down by Lyth at second slip. He and Swindells appeared to steady the ship, only for three wickets in the space of seven balls to threaten to hand Yorkshire a first-innings lead. Lyth held a much more difficult catch to dismiss Scriven off Thompson, who sent Chris Wright’s off-stump into a cartwheel two balls later before Cliff bowled Scott Currie.

Yet it turned out Swindells was in the mood for more heroic deeds, leading an equally assertive Davis in a record 10th wicket stand for Leicestershire against Yorkshire, beating the mark of 70 set by George Geary and Alec Skelton in 1927, when the counties met at Leicestershire’s original home ground in Aylestone Road.

Picking up most of his runs square of the wicket, Swindells completed a 57-ball half century containing seven fours. Davis hit seven boundaries to pass his previous best of 42 against Kent here two years ago before Swindells feathered a catch behind off Matthew Revis, with a useful 78-run lead in the bank.

Both Davis and Swindells are out of contract at the end of the season and have yet to learn if they will be offered new ones.

Leicestershire’s top scorer Harry Swindells said:

“Obviously very different circumstances to Saturday but as a batter you have to adapt. The ball was still nibbling around quite a bit but I just tried to get the boys up to a score and fortunately I had Davo (Will Davis) at the other end who played brilliantly.

“I was just gutted I got out when I did because I would have liked to help him get to fifty. I think I owe him a beer for that.

“As a partnership, we just set ourselves little goals every three or four overs. The first job was to get to their score.

“He was striking the ball so well and when we started to hit a few boundaries they spread the field and took the slips out of play, which made it a bit easier.

“When we bowled again, I felt we could have had a bit more luck with a couple of chances that could have gone our way, but they batted brilliantly, to be fair. Lyth and Bean are quality players, Lyth has been doing it for 15 years.

“We want to win this to keep putting pressure on Worcestershire and we’re still confident we can get nine wickets tomorrow and then chase down whatever score we have to get.”

On his own position, with his contract up at the end of the season, he said: “I’m not sure what is happening about next season yet, I’m just concentrating on enjoying my cricket and trying to contribute to the team.”

Yorkshire seamer Ben Cliff said:

“For myself, it was nice to have a quick start and get a wicket early doors, certainly quicker than last week. It was a bit more of a handier pitch for the seamers, I must say.

“It was a shame we couldn’t get that 10th wicket quicker. But, on the whole, I think all the bowlers were pretty good.

“Maybe we just got our plans wrong for that 10th wicket. Their number 11 got his eye in and got a few away. We should have maybe stuck with what was working instead of trying a few different things. We managed to get the job done in the end, and hopefully we can pile them on tomorrow.

“That 90-run partnership from them didn’t help us, but I do still think we can win it tomorrow. The pitch is still helping you out as a bowler if you get it in the right areas.

“Lythy and Beany did brilliantly for us this evening, especially when it was getting dark. They’ve been unbelievable this year, especially with it being Beany’s first year.

“We will try and get some decent runs on the board tomorrow, and I’m backing our bowlers to bowl them out.  They don’t have any choice (but to go for it), which I think will favour us.”

Worcestershire vs Durham

Durham clinched the LV=Insurance County Championship Division Two title after bowling out Worcestershire shortly before the close of a rain-affected third day at New Road.

Promotion had been secured for Durham last week without bowling a ball when Leicestershire failed to secure a batting point against Sussex at Hove.

They required a maximum of five points heading into this game to clinch top spot.

The three secured for dismissing Worcestershire for 313, plus the ones dropped by the home side for batting, ensured they finished in pole position.

Durham will be back in Division One for the first time since 2016 when they were relegated over financial issues.

Scott Borthwick was a member of that Durham side and fittingly is now the captain on their return to the top flight.

It has been a superb team effort and they have provided the division’s leading run-scorer in Alex Lees (1284) and top wicket-taker in Ben Raine (54).

Raine and Bas de Leede both picked up three wickets while Worcestershire Club captain Brett D’Oliveira (63) provided the sternest resistance.

His efforts helped claim two precious batting points in the battle for the second promotion spot.

Many home supporters also had an eye on events at the Uptonsteel County Ground as nearest rivals Leicestershire strengthened their grip against Yorkshire.

But the fate of Worcestershire remains in their own hands and their prime objective tomorrow will be to collect as many bowling bonus points as possible.

They resumed their first innings on 104-1 after a second day wash-out and Jake Libby cover drove the fifth ball of the day from Vishwa Fernando for four to complete an 85 ball half century.

But on 57 the opener was undone by a delivery from Raine which nipped away and caught behind by Ollie Robinson.

Azhar Ali collected three boundaries in quick succession off Raine while new batter Jack Haynes looked in good nick and raced to 35 off 47 balls with six boundaries.

But the momentum switched in Durham’s favour as Paul Coughlin struck in successive overs and also bowled the delivery which led to Adam Hose retiring injured.

 Haynes was undone by a delivery angled back in and lost his off stump and then Azhar (25) gave his wicket away in tame fashion when he slapped a delivery straight to cover.

In between Hose was struck on the left wrist by Coughlin and was replaced in the middle by Kashif Ali.

Immediately after Azhar’s dismissal, rain drove the players from the field for a three and a quarter hour break.

Kashif and new batter D’Oliveira scored freely against Raine and Coughlin during the evening session.

D’Oliveira cover drove Coughlin to the ropes and then steered him down to third man to bring up the 200 in the 54^th over.

The partnership was worth 69 in 14 overs when Kashif nicked Bas de Leede to first slip and he then trapped fellow Netherlands international Logan van Beek lbw.

But D’Oliveira continued to score freely and brought up his half century from 58 balls with seven fours.

He had made 63 off 75 balls when bowled by a fine delivery from Matt Parkinson which spun sharply.

Raine wrapped up the innings by dismissing Ben Allison and Dillon Pennington in the space of four balls to cue the start of the celebrations amongst the Durham players.

Openers Lees and Michael Jones survived four overs before bad light halted play with three overs remaining.

Scott Borthwick, captain of newly crowned Division Two champions Durham, said: "I thought the weather might hold us up, especially when we came off at lunch and there was a big downpour.

"But when we got back on, I thought we bowled very well. We were below our standards on day one but fought back pretty well today.

"To clinch it (the title) at the end there, a special moment for Rainey (Ben Raine) to do that. 

"I guess it hasn't quite sunk in yet because it was always potentially going to happen this game.

“Next week, when we actually pick up the trophy, that is when it will sink in. Absolutely buzzing and the lads are thrilled to bits. 

“The way we’ve played this year, we’ve dominated and, to go up with the trophy, shows how much we have dominated.

“We deserve it for the cricket we have played this year and absolutely thrilled.

“We are back in Division One, it is where we should be, it’s a big club with some fantastic players.

“I knew if we got everything right this season, we had the talent and the skill to go up and to clinch the trophy is a special feeling.”

 

Worcestershire Club Captain, Brett D’Oliveira, said: “A lot of time has gone out of the game and it was important we batted well after being stuck in and we’ve done that.

“I think a par score on that wicket was about 280 so we’re pretty chuffed with that score, to be honest.

“It think it is a really good cricket wicket. When you’ve missed (the length), you’ve got the opportunity to score and there is some nice pace in the wicket.

“But also, if you stack away in the right areas, there is enough in the wicket to get wickets as well.

“Especially in four day cricket, you get absolutely what you deserve, have to play really good cricket all the way through, and credit to Durham.

“They are the best team in this division and congratulations to them.”

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